Following the Atlanta Hawks‘ first playoff berth since the 2022-23 season, the franchise has decided that it is taking the steps in the right direction.
On Wednesday, the Hawks agreed to terms with general manager Onsi Saleh on a new long-term contract extension. On top of this, Saleh was promoted to president of basketball operations for the franchise, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk and Shams Charania reported.
The move came just two seasons after the Hawks brought in Onsi Saleh as the franchise’s assistant general manager in 2024.
Onsi Saleh’s Impressive 2025-26 Season for the Hawks
Since joining the Atlanta Hawks in 2024, Onsi Saleh has contributed to a quick turnaround for the Hawks franchise.
Saleh played a pivotal role in the Atlanta Hawks’ new and improved roster, which was revamped at the 2026 NBA trade deadline.
Atlanta traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. This was followed by trading franchise star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. Lastly, Atlanta sent Luke Kennard to the Los Angeles Lakers for Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick.
At the time, the Hawks were battling to stay above .500 with a 26-27 record. Once the newly built roster got comfortable, Atlanta went on to win 20 of the final 25 games to close out the regular season.
The Hawks finished the 2025-26 regular season with a 46-36 record before getting knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the New York Knicks.
Onsi Saleh’s Previous NBA Stints
Onsi Saleh was first hired by the Atlanta Hawks in 2024, serving as the franchise’s assistant general manager under Landry Fields. The organization moved on from Fields in 2025, leading to Saleh earning his general manager role, which later turned into him becoming the president of basketball operations for the franchise.
Saleh has a resume of building his way up while a part of NBA franchises. During his stint with the San Antonio Spurs from 2017 to 2021, he worked his way from the bottom to becoming the team’s director of strategy and process/chief of staff.
The Canadien front-office member would then move on to the Golden State Warriors, beginning this stint as assistant team counsel and working his way up to vice president of basketball strategy. Saleh was on the team during the Warriors’ championship run in 2022.
After this, Saleh landed a position with the Atlanta Hawks and is now the president of basketball operations for the historic franchise.
Hawks Own Two First-Round Picks in 2026 NBA Draft
Heading into the 2026 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks own the No. 8 and 23 overall picks. New president of basketball operations, Onsi Saleh, helped get the Hawks the No. 8 selection by acquiring the pick in a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans at last year’s draft.
ESPN draft analyst Bryan Woo has the Hawks selecting Michigan center Aday Mara with the No. 8 selection. Mara, who stands at 7-foot-3, 260 pounds, would be a unique addition to Atlanta’s frontcourt alongside Onyeka Okongwu.
Mara would be among the tallest, next to the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama (7-foot-4) and the Memphis Grizzlies‘ Zach Edey (7-foot-3).
Atlanta could also look to trade the five future first-round picks they own.
Hawks Make Rapid Front Office Decision Following Successful 2025-26